Buyer's Guide

Step 1: Research

Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.

Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Notice I said to decide on your budget—not determine how much the mortgage company will give you. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.

Step 3: Get Prequalified

Just because you think you can afford a certain payment every month doesn’t mean the mortgage company will agree. Just as they may approve you for too large of an amount, they may also approve you for a lesser amount or deny you a mortgage altogether. Lack of time at a job, insufficient credit, past bankruptcies, or other financial issues can cause major problems when trying to secure a mortgage. Before you get your heart set on a home, talk to a mortgage professional to find out what amount you can qualify for. This will also be an advantage when you make an offer on a home, as some sellers won’t entertain offers from those who aren’t already prequalified for a loan.

Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent like me to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will I help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but I also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. Finding the perfect home can be a daunting task, this is where my expertise and wealth of knowledge come into play. Let me show you around some homes that meet your dream home criteria so you can find the one that's right for you.

Step 5: Find the Right Home

This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). I will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.

Step 6: Make an Offer

Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. I will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.

Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure there is no major structural damage or large repairs needed. I can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed, or you can withdraw it.

Step 8: Select Your Loan

Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.

Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.

Step 10: Finish Paperwork

No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.

Testimonials

Jaz

Kenny was helpful throughout the entire process. We really appreciated the fact he was open to answering any questions or concerns we had. His diligence made our entire home-buying process go smoothly.

Rai N.

Kenny was extremely professional and a joy to work with. He had tons of knowledge and made us feel comfortable with the decisions we made along the way. He was always a phone call or text away and replied promptly to every query.

Buyer

Kenny was very nice to work with. As a first-time home buyer, he was able to help me and my wife find a new home that we really liked. He was open to answering any questions we had, whether big or small. We would definitely rec...

Thea & Geoffrey

Kenny is an awesome agent. He was very clear on what we were to expect during the selling process. He communicated with us every step of the way which was very important to us. We got the price we expected and more. If you want...

Chad

I started working with Kenny in 2013. He was patient in my search of finding the right home and finally found it a year later. As a first-time home buyer, his deep industry knowledge in home buying, selling, and renovating help...

Chanly

Kenny was great. Kenny sold my sister's condo a few years ago and he did such a good job that I didn't hesitate to have him as my realtor. This was our first home purchase for my husband and me, so we didn't really know what th...

Sam F.

Kenny is a lifesaver. I had my anxieties selling my home for the first time, but his professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail assured my wife and me that we were in the most capable hands possible. I had a lot o...

Thea M.

We've been working with Kenny since 2012. As first-time homebuyers, we had a lot of questions. Kenny was able to help us navigate through the tedious and time-consuming process. We looked at condos, multi-family homes, and sing...

Jared J.

I was referred to Kenny Patton by friends and family who he worked with previously. Kenny helped us find and purchase our first home. We began our search in January 2016 and were able to close on a home in April. It was not the...

Jen

We had a special financing situation that put us on a pretty fast timetable. Kenny was not only up for the challenge, he almost welcomed it. In the current Seattle housing market, you have to act quickly. During our search, we ...

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A Step-by-Step First Time Buyer's Guide

Step 1: Research

Step 2: Decide on Your Budget

Step 3: Get Prequalified

Step 4: Choose a Real Estate Agent

My Goal is to Provide You With the Most Personalized Service That is Designed to Help You Buy Your Dream Home

Step 5: Find the Right Home

Step 6: Make an Offer

Step 7: Have the Home Inspected

Step 8: Select Your Loan

Step 9: Get a Home Appraisal

Step 10: Finish Paperwork

Congratulations!